Emma was a spitfire. At twenty-three, she was the youngest Executive Coordinator ever hired at a Culinary School in the Southeast. She was the anomaly in a field otherwise dominated by older male chefs entrenched in the area’s restaurant scene. The lanky food-lover hurried to get to know every chef that opened a restaurant in her town inviting them to showcase their food in one of her many classes. She viewed her position as a stepping stone to her dream job – restaurant public relations and marketing.
Sitting at her linen-covered table, she shook her head, hoping with desperation she could let go of work for two days. She wanted forty-eight hours to enjoy the beach, but the food on the island called to her, leading her to a new restaurant famed for its play on Southern cuisine.
Her meal was exquisite - pecan-crusted salmon and Portobello cheese grits with wilted greens. She savored every delicate bite allowing the sweet, rich flavors to mingle and fill her palette and soul with the peace she desired.
Taking her last sip of tannin-rich Pinot Noir, she asked her waitress, “Could you please ask Chef to come to the table so I could pay him my compliments in person?”
“Absolutely!” the summer-bronzed woman replied, making haste to the kitchen.
Distracted, Emma’s eyes wandered around the restaurant spying lovers in dimly lit corners, and paintings with bright, contemporary colors. She was at home in her surroundings and filled with confidence.
Seconds later the chef stepped into the dining room. Dressed in crisp, formal whites, toque sitting atop his head, he appeared to be seven feet tall. Emma’s breath caught in her chest as the handsome, mysterious man approached the table, his self-assured stature enchanting.
She offered her hand and began to speak, but instead of shaking it in response, Chef pulled Emma to her feet, twirling her out into the middle of the room, her shapely, tan legs peeking out from under her short, flowing red dress. Captivated, Emma fell into the moment, letting Chef’s hand in the small of her back direct her every step.
With nary an introduction, they danced around the room to cascades of Sinatra’s snappy beat, swaying back and forth, the music guiding them closer and closer to one another. When the tune ended, Emma’s cheek was pressed against that of the chef’s, her right hand curled tightly in his left, her knees trembling, announcing her coolness had long since left her.
It’s your turn to join the conversation. Do you think this really happened? Does it sound eerily similar to something you’ve experienced? Comment and tell us what Unstoppable moments have occurred in your own life.
Until tomorrow’s reveal, I remain Unstoppable.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Wisdom Wednesday - Is Self-Defeat Defeating You?
Some days I can’t turn my face away from the ground. Life’s drama – too much work, too little time, too many “mommy, mommy, MOMMYs!” and nary enough hands or brains – oftentimes has me so afraid of “what ifs” that I can’t comprehend how to even pick up and do thing number one. How frustrating it is to wake up and know immediately that the few blessed hours you get in a day have already been eaten up with time commitments. It’s debilitating.
Self-defeat can be the first obstacle some of us have to overcome each day. Don’t think you fall into this category? I didn’t either until a memo citing some traits of self-defeating behavior crossed my desk. In shock, I, the self-sufficient learner-by-osmosis read the statement, “I don’t need help, I’ll figure it out myself.” Now wait a minute! That sounded just like me. But how is that self-defeating behavior?
At that moment I realized that not asking for help to learn or accomplish what I need to grow and thrive in life holds me back. Look at the wealth of knowledge I can access just by messaging someone on Facebook or Twitter – moms, writers, family, sitters, and business people like myself – all right there for the asking.
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. – Helen Keller
In the face of unbelievable adversity, Helen Keller became the first deaf blind person to graduate from college. If she can experience such amazing achievement in her life, then what in the world could I have to worry about? It’s all relative. We all have our own personal hardships.
When I get out of sorts with misfortunes and the “to dos” of the day, I put on my project management cap and make a list. Though these lists are pretty darn long, at least the things that need accomplishing are on paper. It’s a start and something I have to do before I even know what I need help with.
Next, I prioritize. The key to getting things done in my life is knowing what to let go of. This all too critical stage of time structuring allows me the chance to take what I consider an emergency and imagine it being stricken with a sharp steel axe, chopped right out of my day. Okay, the visual is a little violent, but it works for me. The beautiful thing about the axe is that each day I must face a plethora of responsibilities: my day job, cleaning, laundry, cooking, WIP revisions, whatever “bad thing” must happen (this morning it was a coffee pot spewing coffee onto the counter vs. in the pot), and spending quality time with my little girl. The picture just became clearer to you, didn’t it? It’s impossible for me to imagine the dreaded axe chopping my daughter out of my day. To me, the image is grotesque, and like the reality, I could never allow it to happen.
Finally, I make the necessary cuts and ask for help where I need it. When faced with lengthy projects at work, a blog to write, and family in town yesterday I chopped out vacuuming the floors and running errands, and asked my mom to help by making dinner, so I could spend time with my little girl laughing, playing, and watching a movie. Not only did we get to bond, she got my full attention and lots of love and kisses and I got to see life through her eyes – much less serious and without drop-deadlines.
There may not have been a lot of sun in Atlanta today, but the sky was bright enough and we kept our heads up so the shadows remained out of sight. It made for another Unstoppable day.
Join the conversation. What are some difficulties you’ve faced lately? How do you prioritize? What are you willing to cut out of your day to make time for what’s important? What gives you strength and inspiration in the face of adversity? Do you ask for help when you need it?
I look forward to seeing you here tomorrow for Truth or Fiction Thursday. Until then, I remain Unstoppable.
Self-defeat can be the first obstacle some of us have to overcome each day. Don’t think you fall into this category? I didn’t either until a memo citing some traits of self-defeating behavior crossed my desk. In shock, I, the self-sufficient learner-by-osmosis read the statement, “I don’t need help, I’ll figure it out myself.” Now wait a minute! That sounded just like me. But how is that self-defeating behavior?
At that moment I realized that not asking for help to learn or accomplish what I need to grow and thrive in life holds me back. Look at the wealth of knowledge I can access just by messaging someone on Facebook or Twitter – moms, writers, family, sitters, and business people like myself – all right there for the asking.
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. – Helen Keller
In the face of unbelievable adversity, Helen Keller became the first deaf blind person to graduate from college. If she can experience such amazing achievement in her life, then what in the world could I have to worry about? It’s all relative. We all have our own personal hardships.
When I get out of sorts with misfortunes and the “to dos” of the day, I put on my project management cap and make a list. Though these lists are pretty darn long, at least the things that need accomplishing are on paper. It’s a start and something I have to do before I even know what I need help with.
Next, I prioritize. The key to getting things done in my life is knowing what to let go of. This all too critical stage of time structuring allows me the chance to take what I consider an emergency and imagine it being stricken with a sharp steel axe, chopped right out of my day. Okay, the visual is a little violent, but it works for me. The beautiful thing about the axe is that each day I must face a plethora of responsibilities: my day job, cleaning, laundry, cooking, WIP revisions, whatever “bad thing” must happen (this morning it was a coffee pot spewing coffee onto the counter vs. in the pot), and spending quality time with my little girl. The picture just became clearer to you, didn’t it? It’s impossible for me to imagine the dreaded axe chopping my daughter out of my day. To me, the image is grotesque, and like the reality, I could never allow it to happen.
Finally, I make the necessary cuts and ask for help where I need it. When faced with lengthy projects at work, a blog to write, and family in town yesterday I chopped out vacuuming the floors and running errands, and asked my mom to help by making dinner, so I could spend time with my little girl laughing, playing, and watching a movie. Not only did we get to bond, she got my full attention and lots of love and kisses and I got to see life through her eyes – much less serious and without drop-deadlines.
There may not have been a lot of sun in Atlanta today, but the sky was bright enough and we kept our heads up so the shadows remained out of sight. It made for another Unstoppable day.
Join the conversation. What are some difficulties you’ve faced lately? How do you prioritize? What are you willing to cut out of your day to make time for what’s important? What gives you strength and inspiration in the face of adversity? Do you ask for help when you need it?
I look forward to seeing you here tomorrow for Truth or Fiction Thursday. Until then, I remain Unstoppable.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Malleable Monday - "A" is for Abstract
Welcome to Malleable Monday and the first letter in the new writer’s alphabet. This is for those folks who desire nothing more than a cliff to take a leap of faith from. This is not a lesson in the business of publishing, nor is it necessarily about craft, but more the direction and motivation new writers need to put pen to paper and get writing.
“A” is for Abstract, as in “to think in the abstract.” It means without reference to specific circumstances or practical experience (Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition 2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Let’s start with the simple idea of letting go of what we know and experience everyday and delve into abstract thinking. I’m certain in each of you the same school of thought has been implanted – writers write what they know.
Is that true? It is entirely possible. The difference between a fantastic fiction writer and anyone else is their ability to take everyday experiences and spin them into the abstract. Say, for instance, you take a walk early one morning (a bit of my own advice for new writers) and on your walk the air is thick with moisture and carries with it the rich, hearty smell of bacon frying in the pan. It’s a lovely experience, no doubt, but if it inspires you to write something what will that be - I smelled bacon on my walk this morning. A good start, but go one conceptual step further.
Are you a Sci-Fi writer? Maybe the rich, hearty smell is the smell of the 900-foot tall spindle trees on your planet that reach into the atmosphere to feed off grease-filled troposphere. If you’re a romance writer, maybe that’s your overnight conquest in the kitchen courting you with his culinary prowess. Or, if you write suspense, that could be something other than bacon frying in the pan, if you know what I mean.
Point is James Cameron didn’t make Avatar a grand success by producing a story about a marine who was dispatched on a mission during wartime to find his loyalties lie with the people he is charged to eradicate. Though touching, we often experience war, growth, and relationships in person or on the evening news. No, James Cameron made Avatar a captivating story by creating a visually fantastic world we were unfamiliar with, and drawing us into stunning characters we could relate to like a paraplegic marine thrust into a computerized capsule in order to take on the identity of his enemy. Does your protagonist have to be blue in order to encourage emotion? Absolutely not, but your story has to be fresh, different, an original idea from your brain containing imaginative, thought-provoking content, characters and scenery.
Does the idea of abstract thinking test you? Good. Sometimes the best things in life come out of challenge. Try reinventing yourself at forty, or making a career change at fifty-five. Sure it’s difficult, but who said rewards come easy.
Now, it’s time for you to join the conversation. Whether you are a new writer or someone who has published thirty books, if you’re reading this take a minute to share one teensy-weensy abstract thought. Pick one of the following basic subjects: 1) Bright yellow daffodils lifting their heads to the noonday sun; 2) an azure sky filled with fire; or 3) the sound of silence from a snow-covered mountain top and write the abstract start it inspires in you. Go all out! Put your craziest, weirdest, most out-of-the-box thoughts into a sentence or two and comment. Let’s see what our peers have to say.
Until Wednesday, I remain Unstoppable
“A” is for Abstract, as in “to think in the abstract.” It means without reference to specific circumstances or practical experience (Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition 2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Let’s start with the simple idea of letting go of what we know and experience everyday and delve into abstract thinking. I’m certain in each of you the same school of thought has been implanted – writers write what they know.
Is that true? It is entirely possible. The difference between a fantastic fiction writer and anyone else is their ability to take everyday experiences and spin them into the abstract. Say, for instance, you take a walk early one morning (a bit of my own advice for new writers) and on your walk the air is thick with moisture and carries with it the rich, hearty smell of bacon frying in the pan. It’s a lovely experience, no doubt, but if it inspires you to write something what will that be - I smelled bacon on my walk this morning. A good start, but go one conceptual step further.
Are you a Sci-Fi writer? Maybe the rich, hearty smell is the smell of the 900-foot tall spindle trees on your planet that reach into the atmosphere to feed off grease-filled troposphere. If you’re a romance writer, maybe that’s your overnight conquest in the kitchen courting you with his culinary prowess. Or, if you write suspense, that could be something other than bacon frying in the pan, if you know what I mean.
Point is James Cameron didn’t make Avatar a grand success by producing a story about a marine who was dispatched on a mission during wartime to find his loyalties lie with the people he is charged to eradicate. Though touching, we often experience war, growth, and relationships in person or on the evening news. No, James Cameron made Avatar a captivating story by creating a visually fantastic world we were unfamiliar with, and drawing us into stunning characters we could relate to like a paraplegic marine thrust into a computerized capsule in order to take on the identity of his enemy. Does your protagonist have to be blue in order to encourage emotion? Absolutely not, but your story has to be fresh, different, an original idea from your brain containing imaginative, thought-provoking content, characters and scenery.
Does the idea of abstract thinking test you? Good. Sometimes the best things in life come out of challenge. Try reinventing yourself at forty, or making a career change at fifty-five. Sure it’s difficult, but who said rewards come easy.
Now, it’s time for you to join the conversation. Whether you are a new writer or someone who has published thirty books, if you’re reading this take a minute to share one teensy-weensy abstract thought. Pick one of the following basic subjects: 1) Bright yellow daffodils lifting their heads to the noonday sun; 2) an azure sky filled with fire; or 3) the sound of silence from a snow-covered mountain top and write the abstract start it inspires in you. Go all out! Put your craziest, weirdest, most out-of-the-box thoughts into a sentence or two and comment. Let’s see what our peers have to say.
Until Wednesday, I remain Unstoppable
Saturday, March 5, 2011
This Week's Winners
Happy weekend everyone! I wanted to take a quick minute of your time to announce this week's follow and comment winners. They are:
Malleable Monday - Nicki S. for an Unstoppable T-shirt
Wisdom Wednesday - Pam A. for an Unstoppable Coffee Mug
Truth or Fiction Thursday - Robin K. for an Unstoppable Mousepad
(Winners were assigned numbers and chosen by Random.org)
Thanks to each of you for following along and commenting. Watch for future posts and contests at www.unstoppablestart.com or http://unstoppablestart.blogspot.com.
Have a great day!
Lindy
Malleable Monday - Nicki S. for an Unstoppable T-shirt
Wisdom Wednesday - Pam A. for an Unstoppable Coffee Mug
Truth or Fiction Thursday - Robin K. for an Unstoppable Mousepad
(Winners were assigned numbers and chosen by Random.org)
Thanks to each of you for following along and commenting. Watch for future posts and contests at www.unstoppablestart.com or http://unstoppablestart.blogspot.com.
Have a great day!
Lindy
Friday, March 4, 2011
Truth or Fiction - The End of the Story
You'll never believe it but the story of Sarah and Erica is true, true, true (names changed, of course, to protect identities). Wondering how it ended up?
Sarah couldn't believe that the well-marked receptacle in front of her wasn't her beloved herbie-curbie.
"Its okay honey," Erica told her, chuckling under her breath. "Just clean it up and take it back to it's owner."
"But Erica, its permanent marker!" Sarah growled.
"No problem," she smiled. "We have a fresh can of Goo-B-Gone in the garage."
"Whew!" Sarah relaxed for a moment, happy to know she could erase the hand-written address from the can. Then she recoiled, fear striking her like the lightning-fast firing of synapses erasing her memory. Eyes wide, she looked at Erica and said, "I forgot where I took it from."
That's the true story. To this day, the clean trash can still resides at Sarah and Erica's house waiting to be returned to its owner. Sarah drives up and down each of the surrounding streets at least once each day hoping to jog her memory, and Erica, well, Erica is still laughing.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Until Monday, I remain Unstoppable
Sarah couldn't believe that the well-marked receptacle in front of her wasn't her beloved herbie-curbie.
"Its okay honey," Erica told her, chuckling under her breath. "Just clean it up and take it back to it's owner."
"But Erica, its permanent marker!" Sarah growled.
"No problem," she smiled. "We have a fresh can of Goo-B-Gone in the garage."
"Whew!" Sarah relaxed for a moment, happy to know she could erase the hand-written address from the can. Then she recoiled, fear striking her like the lightning-fast firing of synapses erasing her memory. Eyes wide, she looked at Erica and said, "I forgot where I took it from."
That's the true story. To this day, the clean trash can still resides at Sarah and Erica's house waiting to be returned to its owner. Sarah drives up and down each of the surrounding streets at least once each day hoping to jog her memory, and Erica, well, Erica is still laughing.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Until Monday, I remain Unstoppable
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Truth or Fiction Thursday - Hey! That's Mine!
It's the inaugural installment of Truth or Fiction Thursday, so let's get right to it, shall we...
She was an immovable presence in her neighborhood, a woman not to be challenged. Sara gave her time and energy to her neighborhood association, PTA, and the one charity she held dear, H.E.R.O. for Children. But one day, someone did challenge Sara.
She arrived home at dusk one February evening to find her garbage sitting in white kitchen bags on the curb. That's odd, she thought pulling into the driveway of her West Atlanta home. I put herbie-curbie out this morning.
She stomped inside, upset over her missing $80 garbage can and asked her partner Erica what she did with it.
"I didn’t do anything but put it on the curb full of trash," Erica snapped back, still upset because she was the one who had to take out the garbage that morning. "Why don't you go ask the neighbors?"
Out the back door, Sara marched directly to the next door neighbors, the bee in her bonnet buzzing with fury. "Do you guys know what happened to my fifteen year old, very expensive trash can?" she demanded.
Every neighbor, three in each direction, responded, "No." Finally crossing the street, Sara discovered a witness. "Sure," her neighbor Tom sounded righteous. "I saw someone come through here earlier, empty the trash and pull it away like it was theirs."
With that, the bee stung Sara. She headed right off Tom's porch and paraded up and down the surrounding streets until she found her beloved trash can sitting by the garage of a neighbor's house two blocks over. She walked straight up to the house, emptied the dirty white bags from her can and wrapping her fist around the handle of herbie-curbie she began to walk away. But, the temptation to say something was too great. Sara stood in front of one of the large picture windows on the front of the Brady Bunch contemporary brick home challenging the owner to, "come out and take this trash can from me again!"
When no one accepted her challenge, Sara calmed down and started her walk home. She was proud of herself for locating her precious disposal bin and happy she took the steps to get it back. When she arrived home she wrote her street number in permanent marker on every side of the container, put her trash back inside, and left herbie-curbie on the curb for pickup the next day.
Early the next morning, with coffee in hand, Sara pleaded with Erica to come out and look at her prize. Upon seeing the familiar trash receptacle on the curb, Erica took a sip of coffee and laughing choked out, "Sweetie, that one isn't ours."
Become part of the discussion - Is this a true story, or is it fiction? C'mon, don't you want to know how it ends? Aren't you a little curious? Leave a comment before midnight (EST) March 4, 2011 and you’ll be entered into a drawing to win the Unstoppable Mouse pad. And, you'll get to hear the truth.
Until then, I remain the Unstoppable Ms. Start
She was an immovable presence in her neighborhood, a woman not to be challenged. Sara gave her time and energy to her neighborhood association, PTA, and the one charity she held dear, H.E.R.O. for Children. But one day, someone did challenge Sara.
She arrived home at dusk one February evening to find her garbage sitting in white kitchen bags on the curb. That's odd, she thought pulling into the driveway of her West Atlanta home. I put herbie-curbie out this morning.
She stomped inside, upset over her missing $80 garbage can and asked her partner Erica what she did with it.
"I didn’t do anything but put it on the curb full of trash," Erica snapped back, still upset because she was the one who had to take out the garbage that morning. "Why don't you go ask the neighbors?"
Out the back door, Sara marched directly to the next door neighbors, the bee in her bonnet buzzing with fury. "Do you guys know what happened to my fifteen year old, very expensive trash can?" she demanded.
Every neighbor, three in each direction, responded, "No." Finally crossing the street, Sara discovered a witness. "Sure," her neighbor Tom sounded righteous. "I saw someone come through here earlier, empty the trash and pull it away like it was theirs."
With that, the bee stung Sara. She headed right off Tom's porch and paraded up and down the surrounding streets until she found her beloved trash can sitting by the garage of a neighbor's house two blocks over. She walked straight up to the house, emptied the dirty white bags from her can and wrapping her fist around the handle of herbie-curbie she began to walk away. But, the temptation to say something was too great. Sara stood in front of one of the large picture windows on the front of the Brady Bunch contemporary brick home challenging the owner to, "come out and take this trash can from me again!"
When no one accepted her challenge, Sara calmed down and started her walk home. She was proud of herself for locating her precious disposal bin and happy she took the steps to get it back. When she arrived home she wrote her street number in permanent marker on every side of the container, put her trash back inside, and left herbie-curbie on the curb for pickup the next day.
Early the next morning, with coffee in hand, Sara pleaded with Erica to come out and look at her prize. Upon seeing the familiar trash receptacle on the curb, Erica took a sip of coffee and laughing choked out, "Sweetie, that one isn't ours."
Become part of the discussion - Is this a true story, or is it fiction? C'mon, don't you want to know how it ends? Aren't you a little curious? Leave a comment before midnight (EST) March 4, 2011 and you’ll be entered into a drawing to win the Unstoppable Mouse pad. And, you'll get to hear the truth.
Until then, I remain the Unstoppable Ms. Start
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Wisdom Wednesday - How Do You Relax?
Okay, here it is, the very first installment of Wisdom Wednesdays. I am so excited to be able to share these special posts with you, because, at my heart, I've learned a lot and want to impart that wisdom on everyone who will listen (in this case, read). Are you laughing? Don’t we all want an audience for our opinions, knowledge, wisdom?
The world today is wrought with time-sucks. You know what a time-suck is, right? It's anything you have to do to get where you want to go. Traffic, for instance, is a time-suck. Albeit enjoyable, catching up on Facebook updates and Tweets can be a time-suck. Wrestling with a three year old who refuses to get dressed for "school" is most certainly a time-suck. So, after a day filled with the crazy that accompanies life and takes away any chance you may have to do a teensy-weensy something for yourself, when and how do you relax?
For me, it's all about getting up early and staying up late. Doesn't sound very relaxing, does it? But, those two things are actually on my "goals" for this year along with a closing statement...Take Care of Myself!
When I get up early I use that time to enjoy my favorite coffee, watch the sun light up the houses across the street, I catch up on FB and Twitter without interruption. It's a wonderful time for me.
Staying up late often allows me to wear my stress-relieving mask (yes, the same goo-filled doohickey you've seen at the drugstore), watch grown-up television, and maybe even, God bless, paint my toenails.
Do you see a theme emerging? Taking care of myself is an important part of Emerging Unstoppable in 2011. They are little things that to anyone else may seem trivial, but to me these are major accomplishments, a part of my happiness that cannot be lived without.
When and how do you relax? Do you take good care of yourself? Share with the group the times and ways that help you stay Unstoppable and every person who comments between midnight March 2nd and midnight March 3rd will be entered into a drawing to win The Unstoppable Coffee Mug (or another available Unstoppable product of your choice).
The world today is wrought with time-sucks. You know what a time-suck is, right? It's anything you have to do to get where you want to go. Traffic, for instance, is a time-suck. Albeit enjoyable, catching up on Facebook updates and Tweets can be a time-suck. Wrestling with a three year old who refuses to get dressed for "school" is most certainly a time-suck. So, after a day filled with the crazy that accompanies life and takes away any chance you may have to do a teensy-weensy something for yourself, when and how do you relax?
For me, it's all about getting up early and staying up late. Doesn't sound very relaxing, does it? But, those two things are actually on my "goals" for this year along with a closing statement...Take Care of Myself!
When I get up early I use that time to enjoy my favorite coffee, watch the sun light up the houses across the street, I catch up on FB and Twitter without interruption. It's a wonderful time for me.
Staying up late often allows me to wear my stress-relieving mask (yes, the same goo-filled doohickey you've seen at the drugstore), watch grown-up television, and maybe even, God bless, paint my toenails.
Do you see a theme emerging? Taking care of myself is an important part of Emerging Unstoppable in 2011. They are little things that to anyone else may seem trivial, but to me these are major accomplishments, a part of my happiness that cannot be lived without.
When and how do you relax? Do you take good care of yourself? Share with the group the times and ways that help you stay Unstoppable and every person who comments between midnight March 2nd and midnight March 3rd will be entered into a drawing to win The Unstoppable Coffee Mug (or another available Unstoppable product of your choice).
Don't forget, if you're not already a follower, Follow me now. Just click on the Follow button on the top of the page and follow the instructions (I must find another way to word this).
Until tomorrow, I remain,
Unstoppable
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